Convertible Glove

ABSTRACT

An improved convertible glove is described herein. The inventive glove exhibits role conversion in that it is configured to easily be removed from the hand of a wearer and rolled into a bracelet. The inventive glove is easily removed and transformed from a glove into a bracelet and from a bracelet into a glove.

PRIORITY

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 63/219,823.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved convertible glove that canbe configured to be worn as a bracelet or wristband configured to beworn around the wrist of a wearer that further comprises an integratedglove configured to easily be transitioned between a worn and unwornstate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Clothing has always had at least two main functions: a protectivefunction and a social function. The main purpose of clothing is toprotect the human body against the environment, such as cold or heat.But not less important is the social function that clothing has incommunicating one's social status. This has become even more importantin the last century with the increasing significance of fashion.

Transformable design is an emerging design method and has resulted infashion trends, and hence more fashion brands and designers are willingto engage in transformable design. Transformable clothing occupies asignificant market share in the clothing market. It is implemented inchildren's wear, working wear, sportswear, clothes for pregnant womenetc. The ability to change function makes transformable clothes veryuseful in rapidly changing conditions. Transformable clothing appears inliterature, fashion shows, online shops, fashion magazines, onlinefashion reviews, patents databases. In general, transformation ofcomprises of: “detaching—attaching”, “stretching—contracting”,“regulating—fixing”, “folding—unfolding”, “showing —hiding”,“overlapping (laying in)”, “replacing”, “orienting”, “rearranging”,“segmentation”, and/or “overturning”. Transformation processes mightrefer to one of the mentioned types of transformations as well asseveral being used simultaneously. Any of the aforementioned types oftransformation provides the ability for the transformable garment tochange its function. The most common form of transformation includeschange in function by way of attaching or detaching elements.

Transformable garments can also be created through modular design.Modular design is focused on how to assemble and disassemble modulesthat comprise clothing. The different assembled and disassembled formsbring different advantages and disadvantages. Modular design can beconsidered to have three categories. In component modular design, thebasic clothing form is retained; in geometric modular, the modular formis separated from the basic garment shape; and in compounded modulardesign both concepts are adopted.

In an example of component modular design, to retain the basic form andstructure of a clothing article, the clothing article will bedisassembled into two or more than two modules. Part of the modulardesign is a departure from the original form of the clothing design. Inother words, each part of the module is part of the clothing article,and each has specific functions. The modules in combination restore theoriginal shape of clothing article.

Component modules can be single or multi-function. In a single functionmodule, the module only has a fixed function, and it has only one formof splicing. Single functional modules generally disassemble from thecomplete garment. Multi-function modules have two or more functions.Generally, this can be achieved through disassembly, assembly, orconversion. Conversion can include opening conversion and roleconversion. Opening conversion can include assimilation through use ofconventional garment openings. Role conversion comprises changingclothing from its original role to other roles. For example, pants mayconvert to skirts, sleeves may convert to trouser legs and so on.

Geometric modular design involves disassembling clothing from its basicform of into geometric shapes such as triangle, quadrangle or a polygon.Geometric modular design can be very flexible and can involve makingclothing as building blocks. In geometric module design geometricmodules can be used to create new designs by changing the assemblage.

Compounded modular design involves a combination of component modulardesign and geometric modular design. In an exemplary design, a geometricmodule removed from the basic form of a skirt may be used as cloak.

In addition to assembling and disassembling modules, splicing modules isanother focus of modular design. Common splicing techniques include, butare not limited to, the use of buttons, snap fasteners, magnets, Velcro,and zippers.

In the last two decades there has been a significant increase in thedemand for highly differentiated products with a significant added valueand that, at the same time, consider issues such as ease of use,comfort, flexibility and fashion. This includes transformable,multifunction fashion garments.

In general, transformable multifunction fashion garments can be definedhas clothing or clothing systems that allow different uses in differentscenarios, such as adaptation (dynamic or not) to diverse socialsituations or weather conditions, or clothing that has differentcharacteristics in different body areas in order to have differentfunctional features, such as different permeability characteristics anddifferent flexural properties in specific areas of the garment, amongothers.

Bracelets and/or wristbands are well-known articles of clothing. Theygenerally consist of an object designed to be worn around the wrist ofthe wearer. Ornamental bracelets are ubiquitous in various forms and canbe made of almost any material.

Gloves are common articles of clothing used to protect and comfort handsagainst cold or heat, damage by friction, abrasion, chemicals, anddisease. As such, gloves are a part of the daily routine of many peoplewith wide ranging application in the commercial, industrial, sporting,and recreational fields (including, construction and football). Glovesare commonly used in the activities of gardening, weightlifting,cycling, skiing, and driving. In performing these activities, gloves areoften taken on and off with great regularity. When taken off, gloves areoften misplaced or lost, as the gloves are no longer attached to thewearer. Some gloves are capable of being attached together so as to notlose one of the pair, and yet others are attachable to differentarticles of clothing. However, these attachment methods are oftencumbersome and awkward to the wearer. It would be advantageous todevelop gloves that do not need to be taken off, thereby enabling thewearer to keep the gloves always attached to the body to prevent loss ofthe gloves when not in use.

Prior attempts to address these shortcomings have been ineffective for avariety of reasons. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,117 discloses acuff construction that can be configured to transform into a glove ormitten. However, the disclosure describes a cumbersome clothing articlethat requires a complex number of folding and unfolding of variouspanels for utilization. Furthermore, in order to accommodate the variouspanels required under the disclosure, the cuff configuration of thedisclosed article is bulky and unappealing. Further, U.S. Pat. No.6,810,530 discloses a convertible glove that is also cumbersome,requiring various folds and panels. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,874discloses a hand covering that can be removed such that it hangs from abracelet or wristband. This invention is also cumbersome and presents animpractical solution to the problems described above because the hangingglove is obstructive and visually unappealing. Accordingly, there is aneed for a glove that can simply and quickly be converted to a bracelet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a convertible glove that folds intoitself and is wearable as a stylish bracelet or wristband when not inuse. The inventive glove has a resealable opening on the top surface ofthe glove below the metacarpophalangeal joints or knuckles and theinterphalangeal joint of the thumb of a wearer. Three male fasteners arepositioned along the wrist portion of the inventive glove. One malefastener is on the top surface of the glove and two are on the bottomsurface. One female fastener is positioned under the thumb portion onthe top surface of the glove, and two female fasteners are positioned onthe palm portion of the bottom surface of the glove. The invention caninclude various embodiments configured for a variety of uses such asmoving gloves incorporating softer fasteners for improved comfort duringuse.

The opening allows the hand of a wearer to be removed from the glovewhile the wrist portion of the glove is secured to the wrist of awearer. The inventive glove may then be rolled and secured to the wristportion with the fasteners.

As a result, instead of removing the glove when not in use and riskmisplacing the glove, the glove folds into itself and converts to awearable bracelet. In other words, to convert the glove to a bracelet,the wearer can open the resealable opening on the top of the glove,remove all five digits from the glove so that the glove is essentiallysolely connected at the wrist, fold the glove into itself until thethree male fasteners are aligned with the three female fasteners, andfasten the fasteners to form a wristband. To convert the article backinto a glove, the wearer can unfasten the fasteners, unfold the glove,re-insert digits through the opening, and reseal the opening. Theconversion between glove and wristband is simple and easy. This alsoallows for multiple embodiments of the invention that can be adapted tovarious uses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of an embodiment of a glove of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of an embodiment of a glove of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of an embodiment of a glove of the invention.

FIG. 4 , is a top view of an embodiment of a glove of the invention wornby a wearer with the opening in an open configuration.

FIG. 5 is a top view of an embodiment of a glove of the invention wornby a wearer with the opening in a closed configuration.

FIG. 6 is a side view of an embodiment of a glove of the invention wornby a wearer with the glove removed.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the invention with the glovepartially folded.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a glove [100] of the invention having a topsurface [105], a finger portion [106], a thumb portion [107], a back ofpalm portion of the top surface [108], and a wrist portion of the topsurface [109]. The glove comprises a resealable opening [101]. In anembodiment the resealable opening may be resealable by a zipper [102].Another form of a fastener, however, may also be used to seal theopening. A male component of a fastener [103] is shown on the wristportion of the inventive glove. A female component of a fastener [104]is shown under the opening [101]. It is to be understood that fastenersthat can be used in the invention include, but are not limited to,buttons, snap fasteners, magnets, Velcro, and zippers.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention wherein snap fasteners [201]are used to seal the opening.

FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of a glove [100] of the invention having abottom surface [303] and a palm portion of the bottom surface [304]. Theglove comprises a female component of a fastener [301] on the palmportion [304] of the bottom surface [303]. A male component of afastener [305] is positioned on the wrist portion of the bottom surface[306].

FIG. 4 shows the inventive glove [100] from a top view. The resealableopening [101] is shown in an closed configuration.

FIG. 5 shows a side perspective of an embodiment of the invention withthe glove [100] removed from the hand of a wearer.

FIG. 6 shows a bottom perspective of an embodiment of the invention withthe glove [100] the spec. partially rolled.

FIG. 7 , shows a bottom perspective of an embodiment of the inventionwith the glove [100] completely rolled into a bracelet configuration.

It is to be understood that the changes may be made in the abovedisclosed construction without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. It is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpretedas illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

1. A glove adaptable to be converted into a wristband comprising: a. atop surface, a bottom surface, a finger portion, a thumb portion, a palmportion of the bottom surface, a back of palm portion of the topsurface, a wrist portion of the bottom surface and a wrist portion ofthe top surface; b. a resealable opening on the back of palm portion ofthe top surface positioned below the finger portion and the thumbportion; c. one or more fasteners positioned below the resealableopening; d. one or more fasteners on the wrist portion of the topsurface; e. one or more fasteners on the palm portion of the bottomsurface; f. one or more fasteners on the wrist portion of the bottomsurface; g. wherein the hand of a wearer can be removed from and/orinserted the glove through the resealable opening when it is in an openconfiguration; and h. wherein the finger portion, thumb portion, palmportion of the bottom surface, and back of palm portion of the topsurface can be rolled into the wrist portions of the top and bottomsurface and secured by said fasteners to form a wristband.
 2. The gloveof claim 1 wherein said fasteners are buttons, snap fasteners, magnets,or Velcro.
 3. The glove of claim 1 wherein the resealable opening isresealable by a buttons, snap fasteners, magnets, Velcro, and zippers.